SUTTON — A dispute between Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. and developers planning to build a Price Chopper Supermarket nearby may be nearing resolution, a lawyer for the Price Chopper's site developer told the Planning Board Monday.

According to Planning Director Jennifer S. Hager, Lawrence A. Brodeur of the law firm Fletcher Tilton told the board at its meeting that Galaxy Sutton LLC, developer of the planned Pleasant Valley Crossing on the northbound side of Route 146 by Boston Road, has reached a settlement in principle with Stop & Shop and Route 146 Sutton LLC, on the southbound side of the highway.

Galaxy is "shovel ready" to begin site work within a few weeks, Ms. Hager said.

Stop & Shop, which leases land in the Sutton Plaza, on Route 146 south and Boston Road, is part of a future development that received special permits and site plan approval in 2006.

Work has not begun on the Stop & Shop or other parts of the planned 40,000-square-feet retail expansion at Sutton Plaza, owned by shopping mall developer RK Centers as Route 146 Sutton LLC.

Stop & Shop and the Sutton Plaza owners filed an appeal in Worcester Superior Court in June 2013 of an amended permit for a nearly 240,000-square-foot plaza across Route 146, on the northbound side, which would have a Price Chopper supermarket.

Stop & Shop claimed the traffic generated by the project would harm Sutton Plaza and that the town had not properly followed its bylaws to issue the permits.

The original permit for that northbound-side development, initially called Cold Spring Brook Place, was issued in 2008. Although formerly a larger project, it did not include a supermarket then.

The case was later moved to Land Court in Boston.

Ms. Hager said that Stop & Shop representatives were particularly upset that the current left-turn lane on Route 146 north would be eliminated, requiring drivers to exit right onto Pleasant Valley Road to Boston Road, making a "jug-handle" route to cross the highway.

However, she said that the elimination of the left-turn lane was part of the state Department of Transportation's improvements to the Boston Road intersection, and were not prompted by the development on either corner.

"MassDOT explained that without the left turn (at the lights) you can process more volume north and south," she said. "The state has said there will still be a backup but it will be less than half what's currently experienced."

Galaxy Sutton filed a motion for summary judgment on the appeal at the end of June, claiming that Stop & Shop, which was permitted similarly to Pleasant Valley Crossing, was trying to block competition from Price Chopper.

In its motion, it states: "Further undermining their claims that the instant suit is not generated by competitive fears but by the specter of traffic that could affect their spectral development, the plaintiffs admit to having discussed acquiring property near the project specifically to impede access to Galaxy Sutton's land. ... That is clearly an anti-competitive effort."

The court has not yet ruled on the motion.

Neither representatives for RK Centers nor lawyers for Galaxy could be reached for comment on the case or the nature of the agreement.

Galaxy's principal, Michael C. O'Brien, said he could not comment at this time.

Ms. Hager said that Stop & Shop has not shown any movement toward building on its leased site in Sutton Plaza and she anticipated the Sutton Plaza developer may come in with a different tenant list.

"I would say it's relatively unlikely you'll have two grocery stores across the street from each other," she said.

She said the town has sent marketing packets to specialty markets Trader Joe's and Stew Leonard's.

The $6 million MassDOT improvements to the Route 146/Boston Road intersection, which are expected to be completed later this year, are critical to the developments, Ms. Hager said: "Without these improvements, those retail centers could not open their doors. We can't afford to wait the next 25 years for the tax base."

Contact Susan Spencer at susan.spencer@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanSpencerTG